Steam locomotive



March 1929. J. E, MUHLFELD 1,704,142

STEAM LOCOIOTIVE Fned Nov.26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR March J. E. MUHLFELD 1,704,142

' sum LOGOIOTIVBI Filed Nov. 2, 1926 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jb/m E. Mal/22 AM; ATTOR EY' Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

'UNITED STATES l TENT OFFICE. 1,

JOHN E. MUHLFELD, OF SCARSDALE, NEVTYORK.

STEAM LDCOMOTIVE.

Application filedN'oveinher as, 1926. Serial n. 150,885.

This invention relates to steam locomotives, and has for its prnnary ob ect to'provide an improved arrangement of the cylinders for )rovide a mountin and arran ement of l b b structurally independent high and low pressure cylinders on opposite sides of the locomotive which satisfactorily takes care of all clearance requirements and in which an advantageous distribution of the weight is obtained whereby the adhesive pressure upon the rails and therefore, the tractive power of the locomotive will be enhanced.

In a practical embodiment of the invention, I provide on each side of the locomotive a forward low pressure cylinder and a rear high pressure cylinder arranged above the drivers and with its bore axis disposed at an inclination of approximately 15, the said cylinders, together with their connecting rods being located outside of the locomotive frames. 7

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved steam locomotive, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequently incorporated in the subjo-ined claims. 7

In the drawings, wherein Ihave disclosed one simple and practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is'a side elevation of a steam locomotive provided with my new arrangement of high and low pressure cylinders, and

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation thereof. I'Ieretofore, certain types of freight and passenger locomotives have been developed wherein two or three single expansion cylinders have been enuployed. In such designs, it has been found that there is an excessive amount of non-adhesive or truclcweight in the engine, and partieularly in the case of the three cylinder type of locomotive, a large number of machine parts between the front and main frames thereof. Also, in such prior locomotive designs, the steam is not fully and economically compounded or expansively utilized. f

lln order to overcome the above noted disadvantageous features ofprior locomotive I designs and to providefor greater tractive power in a single unit than is permissible with four pairs of driving'wheels, instead of arranging a single high pressure cylinder on one side of the locomotive and a, single low pressure cylinder on the other side, I provide upon opposite sides of the locomotive at its forward end two low pressure cylinders 5, one on each side of the boiler moke box indicated at 6. These cylinders may be mounted in any practical manner outside of the locomotive frames 7. Also, on each side of the lo comotive rearwardly of the low pressure cylinders 5 there is arranged a high pressure cylinder 8. These low and'high pressure cylinders 5 and 8 respectively, are structurally independent of each other, steanr being supplied to the high pressure cylinders through pipes 9 from the superheater header 10 and the exhaust steam from the high pressure cylinder being supplied through pipes 11 to the low pressure cylinders 5. g It will be observed that the high pressure cylinders 8 are arranged above the driving wheels 12 of the locomotive and outside of the locomotive frames with the cylinder bore axis disposed at an inclination ofapproximately 159 By so locatin these high pressure cylinders with relation to the low pres sure cylinders 5, a proper distribution of the weight is obtained, resulting in greater adhesive pressure on the rails and therefore, an

increase in tractive power. Such arrangement alsotakes care of 2 ll necessary clearance requirements and perm its of easy accessibility to the various parts which was not heretofore possible in those designs wherein many of the parts were arranged between the locomotive frames.

The plston rods 13 of the high pressure cylinders are provided with crossheads 1-l reci 'irocating in suitable guides 15, connecting rods 16 being connected with crossheads 14, and with one pair of the locomotive driving wheels 12. Similar driving connections 1? are also provided between a second pair of driving wheels and the crossheads 19 of the cylinders mounted at each side thereof upon piston rods 1801f the pistons operating in b 1e 10W pressure cylinders 5. All of these driving connections, as well the high and low pressure cylinders are, of course, located outside of the frames 7 of the locomotive.

The compound locomotive above described utilizing two structurally independent high and low pressure cylinders on each side oi the locomotive is designed "for use in connection With a boiler steam p 'essure of pounds or greater, and when operating in compound gear, will have a tractive power of approximately 85,000 pounds, the steam being e3;- haust ed ironi 19 X 32 inch high pressure cylinders and re-enpanded in 33 X 32 inch low pressure cylinders. it wil thus be apparent that not only do i provide a mounting and arrangement of the two pairs oi hi h and low oressure cylinders which permit of easy accessibility with better weight 9' ribution than heretofore, but i also thereby obtain a material increase in tractive power.

While I have above (l.,"r.i'li)i(l and illustrated in the drawing a preferable mount ,1 and arrangement of the cylinders upon eaih side of the locomotive, it will be understood that certain variations n'iight be resorted to in the particular location and arrangement oi the independent high and low pressure cylinders expediency might require, and that I do not, of course, desire to be res icted to the precise arrangement shown. i tccordingly, it is to be understood that in utilizin m present improvements, l reserve the right to adopt all such legitimate modifications inthe form, construction and arrangement oi? the several parts as may be fairly considered as within the spirit and scope of the appended claims,

I claim 1. In a. steam locomotive, structurally independent high and low pressure cylinders mounted upon each side thereof ll longitudinally spaced relation, the rear cylinders being obliquely inclined with respect to the front cylinders, and direct driving connections between the respective cylinder pistons and separate drive wheels of the locomotiv 2. in a compound steam locon'iot-ive, structurally independent high and low pressure rigid frames with the axis'of one cylinder obliquely inclined relative to the axis of the otaer cyiinder, and direct driving connections between the cylinder pistons and spaced pairs of locomotive driving wheels, said cylii'i'i'lcrs and the driving conn actions be loca led outside oi the locomotive "irames.

3. In a compound steam locomotive, structurally independent high and low pressure cylinders mounted upon each side of the locomotive outsiile oi the locomotive frames, and said high pressure cylin ere being spaced rearwardly from the low pressure cylinders and arranged above the liiicoinotive driving wheels.

in a compound steam locomotive, struo tin-ally independent high and low pressurecylinders mounted upon each side of the locomotive outside the locomotive iraines,said high pressure cylinders being spaced rearwardly ii'Oill the lo v pressure cylinders and arringed above the locomotive dri ing wheels, said high pressure cylinders being positioned at a. lon tudinal inclination oi? approximately to with respect'to the locomotive frames, and driving connect-ions between the pistons of the high and low prcs sure cylinders and spaced pairs of locomotive driving wheels.

5. in a compound steam locomotive, structurally independent high and low pr" ure cylinders mounted upon each side oi the iocomotive outside oi? the engine ira-mes, said high pressure cylinders being spaced rearwardlyirom the low pressure cylinders and positioned above the locomotive driving wheels, connections between the steam superheater of the locomotive and the high pressure cylinders, connections between the ex} haust oi the high pressure cylinders and the intake of the low pressure cylinders, said h "h pressure cylinders having their bores liquely inclined with respect to the engine frames, and connections between the pistons for the high and low press-mire cylinders and spaced pairs o'l driving wheels also loimlcd outside of the engine frames.

in testimony that I claim the it: h my invention, l have sign ed my name h i JOHN li illl'llil l llin. 

